Prayer For The Refugee
by LunarLotus123
Summary: This story takes place during Dragon Age 2. Tarala is a 20 year old Dalish Mage. She was torn from her family to join the circle but found a loophole. How will she fair with the challenges Kirkwall has in store?
1. Chapter 1

"Mother? What is happening?"

A teenage Dalish elf with long grey hair and green eyes was standing in the doorway of the main room of their High Town home.

Her father, a circle mage of some standing, was talking to a templar that had decided to visit.

"Tarala...go get your staff," her father said turning to his daughter, "You are going to the circle..."

Her mother who had been watching from next to the fire place looked horrified, "Motir, you can't let them!"

The templar scoffed and glared at the elven woman, "Consider yourselves lucky. She was almost considered for necessary tranquility."

Tarala returned with her staff in hand, and an elven dagger tied to her belt.

She was wearing the average dalish women's dress, the only difference being she had cut it to knee length and made it into a halter, "I-I'm ready..."

Though she tried to hide her fear, it was apparent she was terrified.

"Tarala! I won't let you go!"

"Kortin!"

There was a silence as Motir barked angrily to his family.

Tarala looked at her father, "Is there nothing you can do?"

"I am sorry emm'asha," Motir said quietly, "This must be done. Not even the First Enchanter could stop this. Dareth da'len."

Tarala embraced her father, then turned to sya goodbye to her mother, only to be pulled away by the templar.

"Tarala! No!"

As her mother cried for her child that was being dragged away, Motir held her firmly, a tear rolling down his cheek.

* * *

><p>Got hooked on Dragon Age 2. Please review!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Four Years Later-

The sun shone brightly on Kirkwall, everyone going about their daily business as always.

Tarala, now grown into a young dalish woman and now living in the alienage, was walking through the market place with no real destination in mind.

Her father managed to talk the higher ups into allowing Tarala to leave the circle on one condition.

Her magic was to be sealed away.

The High Enchanter found a way to seal ones magic away aside from becoming a tranquil, but the use of this particular seal meant that the mage's life would be halved of the years they had left.

Tarala didn't care though,after living within the circle for four years, she wanted to live the remainder of her life free of any chains to hold her down.

Now she could live the life she wanted to as a free elf.

As she walked though, the young woman failed to notice someone walking towards her and ran full on into the person, causing her to fall back to the ground.

The person Tarala had run into looked confused for a moment then knelt down to help the elf up, "Are you alright?"

"I am so sorry. That was my fault," she said quickly standing up and dusting herself off, "Please forgive me serah."

Much to her surprise, the woman Tarala had run into was a woman that stood rather tall and seemed to come off as stern but caring.

"Don't worry. I'm not upset. My name is Hawke," the woman said smiling a bit, "Nice to meet you."

The Dalish elf was surprised to hear this woman not talking down to her, "It is a pleasure to meet you serah Hawke. I am Tarala."

After exchanging introductions, Hawke looked at her before taking a step back, "You look a little out of place. Are you new to Kirkwall?"

She hesitated as Hawke asked her question, but she came up with a decent answer without sounding too suspicious, "Why yes. I just arrived on a ship last week. I thought perhaps I could find work since I had very little luck back in Ferelden."

"Oh. You're Ferelden as well?" Hawke asked looking surprised.

Tarala simply nodded and forced a small smile.

"We also just arrived. My sister, mother and I that is. If it's work you're looking for though, I could help," Hawke explained smirking a bit.

"Really? What kind of work?"

"The kind most people don't want to dirty their hands with. It may not be the most glorified job in Kirkwall but it puts food on the table," Hawke explained before looking Tarala in the eye, "What do you say?"

This freaked the elf out a bit, she had just met Hawke and already the strange woman was offering a partnership of sorts to her, "I'm not sure..."

"HAWKE!"

Both women turned to see a strawberry blond dwarf running their way.

Hawke just sighed and turned to confront him, "Hello Varric. What is it now?"

The dwarf stopped as he got into conversational range and looked at Hawke, "Listen, Bartrand changed his mind. He'll take the partnership if yoou manage to get half the expedition money. Whadda ya say?"

Tarala just watched as the two talked, then decided it was best she let them be.

Just as she was about to leave though, Hawke gently grabbed the elves shoulder, "You never answered my question."

Tarala looked at Hawke, then turned away, "Let me think on it. I will let you know tomorrow by midday."

Without so much as a goodbye, the young elf left for her home in the alienage.

* * *

><p>"That woman must be out of her mind," Tarala muttered as she paced around her front room.<p>

After about ten minutes of this, she stopped and looked in the mirror.

Raising her dark blue top above her midriff, revealing the tattoo of a sun on her sternum, Tarala felt a knot in her throat.

The rays coming from it only surrounded about three fourths of the sun, the one ray at three o'clock was already half faded.

She gently put her shirt back down and sighed, "I don't have much longer…I should make the most of it while I can."

Just as the elf was about to settle in for the night though, she heard some really strange noises coming from outside.

Swiftly, Tarala grabbed an elven sword that was lying on the table and hurried outside.

Much to her surprise, it was quiet, save for dogs barking in the distance.

The silence caused Tarala to become more cautious though, knowing that not everyone appreciated the Dalish living in their city.

Footsteps.

Tarala swiftly climbed into the tree that lived in the center of the alienage and watched for any signs of trouble.

"Well…this was a waste of time."

The voice was familiar to the young elf and she watched Hawke, Varric and a another elf leave one of nthe vacant homes.

Just as Tarala was about to jump down and greet them though, an ambush of assasins appeared.

The group started fighting, trying to keep them at bay.

"Damn…I hate being so noble," she muttered before jumping down and joining the battle.

"Glad to see you changed your mind," Hawke said as the last of the mercenaries fell to the ground.

"Why would I waste time playing it safe?" Tarala joked before turning around and groaning, "You have got to be kidding."

Hawke saw what Tarala was referring to and sighed, "I got this o-"

To their surprise, the archer that had planned to snipe them out, fell in a pool of his own blood.

Standing behind him was a tall dark elf, short silver hair, almost black armor, and strange burn marks all over his body, "I apologize for the way I called you here. I had no other choice really."

Hawke seemed unamused as she confronted the stranger, but Tarala could only stare at him.

"I am sorry. I did not catch your name," the female elf said looking at their helper, "You really helped us out."

Tarala looked at the young woman and smiled, "Tarala. It is an honor to meet you dallen."

"And I am Meryl. Nice to meet you," she said sounding all too cheerful.

"Varric," the dwarf said before seeing Hawke walking over with their strange savior, "Hawke, is everything alright?"

"Yes. We need to get to Hightown," the woman said looking at Tarala, "Can I count you in?"

Tarala looked at Hawke, then the elf, then back at Hawke, "Of course serah."

"In that case, I'll be heading home. I have some work to do. It was nice to meet you Tarala," Meryl said before leaving.

Varric looked at their newcomer and smirked, "Smiley here got a name?"

The male elf looked at the dwarf distastefully, but proceeded to introduce himself, "My name is Fenris. Former slave. I appreciate that you took this job Hawke."

Hawke smiled at him and nodded, "Don't worry. Anything to give those damned slave traders what they've got coming."

Tarala remained quite, not wanting to say the wrong thing.

Fenris saw the uncomforting look in Tarala's eyes and looked at her, "Do not worry. I am rather hard to offend."

"Oh…I'm sorry," was all she managed to say before Hawke had them moving out.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued<p> 


End file.
